New England to Lose Two AHL Teams in Coming League Shift
With the formal word coming out on Thursday that the American Hockey League’s Board of Governors has approved the creation of a Pacific Division, the fates of two local hockey clubs have been sealed.
The Manchester Monarchs and Worcester Sharks, AHL affiliates of the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, respectively, will be moved to California and placed in the newly-created division for the 2015-16 season. The Monarchs will relocate to Ontario, California, while the Sharks will join their parent club in San Jose.
Other teams relocating to the Golden State include the Adirondack Flames, owner by the Calgary Flames, who will move to Stockton; The Oklahoma City Barons, owned by the Edmonton Oilers, who will move to Bakersfield; and the Norfolk Admirals, who will be purchased by the Anaheim Ducks and moved to San Diego.
The Sharks have played in Worcester since 2006, when they replaced the recently-departed Worcester IceCats, while the Monarchs have called Manchester, New Hampshire home since 2001, when they joined the AHL as an expansion team.
The Monarchs currently hold the best record in the AHL’s Eastern Conference, earning 60 points over their first 43 games. The Sharks are in 10th place in the East, currently out of the postseason picture with a points total of 49, but are just two points out the final playoff spot in the conference.
Manchester has been a breeding ground for great hockey players over the past decade, as several members of the Kings’ Stanley Cup-winning teams cut their teeth with the Monarchs, including Alec Martinez, Jake Muzzin, and Tyler Toffoli, as well as current captain Dustin Brown. Worcester has produced some strong NHLers as well, including current Sharks Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, and Tommy Wingels.
The loss of the Monarchs and Sharks will leave the six New England states with five AHL franchises: The Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Hartford Wolf Pack, Portland Pirates, Providence Bruins, and Springfield Falcons.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com